Let me be the first to say that I love this game. Love it, love it, love it. This game sets the bar for what Survival Horror is supposed toLet me be the first to say that I love this game. Love it, love it, love it. This game sets the bar for what Survival Horror is supposed to be, a bar so high incredibly few games have been able to reach it since 2002. I first played REmake on the Gamecube, and have done playthroughs of it rather recently, so the differences between both versions pop out at me more. Going forward in the review, I will write assuming that you have never played the original version, and that this is your first time experiencing the game.
The storyline of this game is the one that created and shaped an entire franchise and defined a genre, so it's safe to say it's rather well done. You play as either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, members of an elite division of the Raccoon City Police Department called S.T.A.R.S., who are on a search and rescue mission for the missing members of your unit. While the game plays mostly the same depending on which character you choose, there are some major differences that throw curveballs at you. For example, playing as Jill gives you access to the Lockpick, which makes entry for certain rooms much easier than Chris, who has to scour the mansion for keys to unlock these rooms. Jill has more inventory space, but can take less damage. Playing as Jill means you're assisted by Barry Burton, who can save your life and drop you ammo from time to time. Playing as Chris means you will cross paths with Rebecca Chambers, who can treat your wounds and restore your health when you visit her. There are also key differences between the characters in the sense that playing as Jill allows you to capitalize on her unique skills, such as chemistry, lockpicking, and piano playing. If you choose Chris, you have to do more brute force and exploration to progress, but his permanent access to the lighter makes it easier to torch zombies.
Ah, yes, zombies. The key staple of the Resident Evil franchise and this game in particular. They will be the main enemies you fight throughout the game, but the zombies in this game come with a twist. After killing a zombie using any means that didn't involve decapitation, the body remains where it fell. Unless you burn the bodies using kerosene and a lighter (both of which take up inventory space and time to find fuel) the fallen zombie will eventually mutate into a V-ACT and become much faster and stronger. This adds an interesting dynamic to the game. Do you go out of your way to burn the bodies, do you just avoid killing zombies entirely, or do you take on the V-ACTs as they reanimate? It all depends on your play style. There are also other enemies in the game, including mutated dogs, spiders, plants, and snakes, all of which require different methods to successfully take down. Later in the game, the Hunter is introduced, which accelerates the game by giving you a much faster and stronger enemy to fight as you backtrack through the mansion, ensuring things don't get stale. There are also a few boss battles throughout the game to keep things interesting.
The graphics in this version are enhanced, but still don't truly hold up to brand new modern releases. Despite this fact, the game still looks gorgeous. A few cutscenes were changed to add a bit of flair to them, but nothing overly dramatic. One of the biggest improvements is the lighting, the Gamecube version was too dark at quite a few parts, but this remaster seems to have corrected those issues. The cheesy dialog remains, and the rest of the game is just as fans should remember it. In true Resident Evil style, there is quite a large number of rewards for completing the game multiple times. Speedrunning the game unlocks unlimited ammo pistols and rocket launchers, and beating the game on increasingly difficult modes unlocks new modes to try. For example, completing the game unlocks Hard, completing Hard unlocks Real Survival (a mode automatically set to Hard that doesn't allow item boxes to be linked, meaning you have to be careful of where you place certain items) and beating Real Survival unlocks Invisible Enemy mode. This encourages players to continually test their skill levels and to come back to the game multiple times.
My only complaint about this edition of the game is the feeling of the controls. Everything felt amazing on a Gamecube controller, but they didn't translate over perfectly to the Xbox. Pushing up on the left stick causes your character to run automatically, which feels a bit sticky in multiple situations, especially when coaxing zombies into grabbing for you. The default controls are available, where you have to hold down a button to run, but even these feel a bit clunky on this controller. A small complaint only noticeable by those who have poured hours into the previous version of the game, and the only thing that sticks out as an issue.
Overall, this game is a masterpiece. An incredibly well done remaster of a remake that will make Survival Horror fans fall in love all over again.… Expand
